Angelic Runes, Vol. 2

The second volume of Makoto Tateno’s Angelic Runes brings us revelations, new characters and more pretty boys. The journey of Sowil and his friends continues. This time around Sowil’s search for his place in this world brings him into contact with a spirit trapped in ice, a holy beast, his masters master and more.

Unfortunately all the long hair and revelations still aren’t enough to help this book. It’s a stiff an awkward read with a horribly bland lead and a boring antagonist as well. The supporting cast is equally as forgettable, again with the exception of the two twins though that’s mainly due to their constant quoting of actual demons, spirits and angels. They’re really the most fun in the series so far and it’s a constant game of “Where’s this demon/angel from?” with them. Sadly even that wears after a while. The last few pages of the book drop some major revelations that may cause the series to become far more interesting and entertaining, but given how quickly they’re rolled out and how little emotional impact they carry I’m not really holding my breath. Sowil’s just too boring for his quest of self discovery to move me or draw me in. He has a tendency to repeat his motivation in every chapter, and if he doesn’t do then chances are someone else will.

Sadly the visuals match the story. Everything takes place in a weird white space that’s sparsely populated by shrubbery and blobs of greytone. There’s no real sense of movement in the few action sequences and all the male characters tend to look alike, the only difference being their clothes and hair style. The lack of visuals for the setting reinforces the general lack of a solid background for the story and gives the whole thing the feeling of barely being thought out beyond the very basics of the story.

Angelic Runes continues to underwhelm me. The bland visuals and bland story combine to create a reading experience that’s instantly forgettable. While it’s fun to try and peg which world mythology certain creatures, demons and the like are from, it’s just not enough to hold the story together.

Angelic Runes, Vol. 2 is available now at Emanga.com. Digital review copy provided by the publisher.